El Cerrito is a cozy Mexican restaurant in the Sharon Shopping Center off of Sandhill Road. Walking into the restaurant, we were excited to see festive holiday decorations. The atmosphere was welcoming, as all of the cooks and servers were smiling, laughing, or chatting with one another. After ordering, we enjoyed tortilla chips with salsa as we watched a soccer game on TV. The wait for our food was not too long, particularly considering the warmth and freshness of our meal.
Chips and Salsa (7.5/10):
The chips and salsa, while not exceptional, were good enough for us to ask for refills. The chips were crispy and thin but could have been more salty. The fresh salsa was perfectly chunky and had a nice kick which compensated for the saltiness (or lack thereof) of the chips.
Bean, Rice, Cheese Burrito (7/10):
We ordered a classic bean, cheese, and rice burrito. The tortilla was phenomenal: buttery, flaky, and the perfect thickness. The rest of the burrito was good, though not as impressive as the tortilla. Unfortunately, as soon as the burrito was picked up, it fell apart. The rest of the meal was spent attempting to hold the burrito together. The refried beans were particularly tasty with good flavor and consistency. The rice wasn’t remarkable, and neither was the cheese. Altogether, it was a relatively average burrito, leaving us wishing we had ordered a vegetarian burrito for some more flavor.
Tacos (8/10):
We also ordered one pollo asado taco and one fish taco. Both tacos were the highlight of the meal. They came on steaming hot, freshly made corn tortillas. The chicken in the pollo asado was tender and well-seasoned in a classic asado seasoning. It came with onions, cilantro, and a red salsa that balanced the flavors nicely. The grilled fish in the fish taco was fantastic. The fish was soft and flakey with a peppery seasoning. It was perfectly complemented by a sweet and spicy mango salsa.
Rice and Beans (7/10):
The rice and beans, which came as a side for the tacos, were satisfactory. The refried beans were creamy, well seasoned, and came with a nice layer of cheese on top. However, the rice was not exceptional.. Despite the bland and overly fluffy rice, the tacos were still tasty enough that we would order them again if we returned.
Flan (8/10):
After we finished our meal, we decided to have a vanilla flan with whipped cream and caramel for dessert. It was creamy, sweet, and a perfect way to finish our meal.
With an overall 7.5/10 score, we would recommend El Cerrito to anyone looking for some solid Mexican food! It is affordable with an inviting and entertaining environment, and some high quality food.
